Lubricating system



March], 1933. W, n P MERQY 1,900,735

' LUBRICATING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 5. 19:50 2 Sheets-Sfieet 1 /1 rroRm: vs

-March 7, 1933. v w. D PQMERQY 7 1,900,735

LUBRICATING SYSTEM File'd Feb. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 7,1933

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" WILLIAM D. POMEROY, OF SENECA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GOULDS PUMPS, INCORPORATED, OF SENECA FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK LUBRICATING sirsrnm This invention relates to improvements in lubricating systems for deep well pumps and the like.

Heretofore, it has been customary to de pend upon some form of an-oil-slinger oran oil splash system forv lubricating various worklng parts contained within the pump case. This method hasfproven unsatisfactory in that certain portions of the moving parts or bearings do not always receive a sufiicient amount of lubrication.

Another objection to the splash system for lubricating purposes in a device of this kind is that it is 'expensive and diflicult to rovide a pump case which is'absolutely oil-tight, with the result that a certain amount of the lubricant works to the outside of the case,

thus wasting the lubricant and causin an unclean and, therefore, undesirable condltion of the exterior of the pump case.

The objects of my invention are to avoid the above, objections; to provide a novel construction whereby the main gear and drive pinion therefor may be utilizedto elevate the lubricant to the upper portion of the interior of the casewhere it may be easily distributed as required, for lubricating various bearings or moving parts of the pump, mechanism and return by gravity to the lower portion of the case without the excessive splashing of the lubricant, which necessitates the oil-tight construction of the case, and also without the use of an additional oil pumpand the expense this involvesl To accomplish these objects, my invention comprises a novel oil chamber positioned in co-operative relation with the main drive gear and the drive pinion operating there-.

with, so that the lubricant, as oil, carried up by the main gear, due to the viscosity of the oil, during the rotationthereo-f, will collect in said chamber and be forced through an outlet conduit by. the action of said gear and pinion to the upper portion of. the interior of the pump case and deposited into a suitable distributing means out of which. the

- lubricant escapes, by gravity, over the various members to be lubricated and eventually. return tothe lower portion of the gear case.

Other objects and advantages relating to the form and relation of the parts will more fully appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the case, of a work head for deep well pumps taken in the plane of the line 1-1, Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a detail transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is .an enlarged detail vertical section of the oil chamber housing taken on line 44', Figure 3.

In Figure, 1 of the drawings is represented a common form of a workhead adapted to operate a plunger in a deep well cylinder and consists of a case --1, a vertically disposed plunger rod 2 mounted for longitudinal reciprocative movement at one side of the case *l, and a drive mechanism for the plunger rod com rised, in this instance, of an eccentric mem er 3 journaled on a horizontally disposed shaft 4-- having its outer ends secured in the vertical side walls. of the case 1 A vertically disposed eccentric rod 5 is mounted on the eccentric .3 and prowith the upper end thereof forked to receive a walking beam --6. 'Y

The walking beam '6-, in this instance,

is disposed in a substantially horizontal plane near the upper portion of the interior of the case -1" with one end thereof piv- I otally connected to the upper end of a sub-,

stantially vertically disposed pair of arms 7 by a pin '8, which passes through registering holes provided in the upper ends of the arms 7- and the outer end of the forming the inner bearing support for the pinion drive shaft 9--, so as to permit the free rocking movement of the arms during the oscillating movement of the walking beam 6.

The other end of the walking beam 6-- is rotatably connected to the upper end of the plunger rod -2 by means of a pin 10 which has the ends thereof secured in opposite sides of a yoke member -11 secured to the upper end of the plunger rod- -2.

The eccentric rod -5-- is rotatably secured to the walking beam 6 intermediate the ends thereof by means of'a pin 12- which passes through registering ,holes provided in the upper end of the eccentric rod 5 and walking beam -6 so that any rotating movement of the eccentric 3 will cause the eccentric rod 5 to rock the walking beam 6 about the pivot 8 and thereby produce a reciprocative movement of the opposite end of the walking beam and the plunger rod 2- connected therewith.

The eccentric -?gmay be rotated about the axis of the shaft -4 by means of a relatively large spur gear member 13 which may be made integral with the eccentric or secured thereto, the gear 13 in turn, being rotated by means of a pinion gear l4- made inte ral with or secured to the pinion drive sha t 9 which is disposed in a horizontal plane a. short distance above the axis of the gear 13 with the pinion 14 in meshing engagement with the gear -13, the shaft 9 being journaled in the lateral projection l and also in a suitable bearing member l5 secured to the case 1. Shaft 9 extends outwardly through said bearing member and is adapted to be connected in any suitable manner to a source of power, as an electric motor, not shown, for rotating said shaft.

At the junction of the gear -13 and pinion 14- I have provided an oil chamber adapted to receive the lubricant as it is displaced from the teeth of the gear 13- by the meshing engagement of the teeth of the pinion 14 therewith, in the following novel manner;

An oil housing member 16 is positioned on the gear -13 and pinion 14 and consists of a chambered head --17 having substantially the same width as the face of the teeth of the gear --l3- and pinion 14.

The front lower surface -18 of the head 17 is formed in an are having a radius equal to the radius of the periphery of the teeth of the gear --13 while the lower end of the rear vertical wall of the head ,17 is provided with a rearwardly extending flange -19- which has the lower surface thereof curyed to conform to the periphery of the teeth of the drive pinion --14- so that when the housing 16- is placed in operative position on the gear 13 and pinion -14, as illustrated more particularly in Figure 4, the portions 18 and 19 of the head 17 will rest upon the face of and form a substantially oil-tight connection between the head 17- and the adjacent portion of the teeth of the ear 13 and pinion l4 respective y.

The head -17 is provided with an interior oil chamber -20 which is open at the bottom for receiving the oil or lubricant as it is displaced from the teeth of the gear -13 by the action of the pinion -14. The head --17- is maintained against lateral displacement on the gear and pinion by a pair of side plates 2l positioned one at either side of the head 17-- and secured thereto by screws 22.

The plates -2l' are each formed with a surface area greater than that of the respective end of the head member 17 with the lower ed e of the plates overlapping the sides of t e gear 13 and pinion 14, thus positioning the plates in proximity to the side surfaces of the gear and pinion for preventing the escapement of the lubricant therebetween.

The plates 21 are each provided with a substantially U-shaped opening -21 in their rear lower edges, adapted to receive the pinion shaft --9, while the upper portion of the plates extends above the head member 17 and forwardly thereof to form an oil reservoir 23 between the plates, the front face of the housing member -17 and the adjacent portion of the gear 13.

A vertically disposed oil discharge pipe or conduit 24 is secured to the chambered head -17- in communication with the upper portion of the chamber 20 for conveying the lubricant from the chamber 20 to the upper portion of the interior of'the case 1-. The upper end of the discharge pipe 24. is provided with a laterally disposed pipe 24 adapted to deposit the lubricant into a distributing pan 25- secured to the upper edge of the walking beam 6--.

The housing l6 is yieldingly maintained in operative relation with the gear and pinion by a compression spring 26 coiled about the pipe -24 and positioned between the upper face of the head -17 and a horizontally disposed bracket 27-- which'is secured to the adjacent side wall of the case 1 and provided at its inner end with an opening -28 for receiving the pipe -'24 therethrough.

The opening 28 is constructed somewhat larger than the diameter of the pipe 24 so as to permit the free movement of the pipe through said opening in case the oil pressure in the chamber 20- increases I will be returned to operative relation with the teeth of the gear 13- and pinion -14- by the action of the spring '26-.

The distributing pan -25, in this instance, is a relatively shallow receptacle open at the top for receiving the lubricant and secured by screws 30, or otherwise, to the rear portion of the upper edge of the walking beam -6- to rock therewith.

The bottom of the pan 25 is provided with perforations 31 and -32-- near each end thereof in substantial vertical alignment'with the pivotal pin --8- and the cam rod connecting pin 12 respectively, so that any lubricant contained in the panwill escape through the perforations -31- or 32-, depending upon the position of the walking beam 6- and thus lubricate said pins, for it is evident that when the walking beam 6 is in the up position, as illustrated by full lines in Figure 1, the pan 25 will be tilted downwardly toward the rear, which causes the lubricant to flow to the rear end of the pan and out through the perforations -31, which distributes the lubricant over the pivotal pin 8. 4

When, however, the walking beam -6 is moved by the eccentric 3 to the down position, as illustrated by dotted lines, the lubricant will flow to the forward end of the pan and be distributed as it escapes through the erforations 32- located at that end of t e pan over the pin 12 for lubricating said pin.

A pipe 33-, positioned parallel with the upper edge of the forward end of the walking beam 6, is secured at one end in an opening 34 provided in the forward end ,of the walking beam, 6- in communication with the bearing pin 10 for the plunger rod 2.

The pipe -33, in this instance, extends rearwardly to within a short distance of the front end of the pan -25 and is connected with the interior of the pan by means of a suitable oil-absorbing material, which is contained in said pipe, such as candle wicking -35, for absorbing a sufiicient amount of the lubricant contained in the pan and feeding it by capillary attraction to the pin 0-.

In operation, the case 1 is provided with a suitable lubricating oil, the level of which is maintained below the drive pinion -l4 at substantially the plane of the line X, Figures 1 and 2, so that a large portion of the gear 13 is submerged in the lubricant.

As the gear --l3- is rotated by the action of the pinion 14 in an anti-clockwise direction, a considerable amount of the lubri- Y cant will be carried upwardly by the gear due to the viscosity of the lubricant. A large percentage of the lubricant thus carried by the gear 13 will be displaced from the teeth thereof by their engagement with the teeth of the pinion .-1 L-- and be stored in the chamber 20 and forced out through the delivery pipe 24 to the oil pan -25 as the lubricant continues to accumulate in said chamber.

In other words, the gear -13 and pinion 14- function as a gear pump to elevate the lubricant through the chamber 20 and the pipe 24 to the upper portion of the case 1. The forwardly extending portions of the side plates 21, due to their close relation to the sides of the gear 13- will collect an appreciable amount of the lubricant from the teeth and sides of the gear 13 that would otherwise escapebefore reaching the junction of said gear and pinion 1-1.

This lubricant is stored in the reservoir 23 until carried forwardly by the teeth of the gear-43 to the place where the teeth of the pinion 14- engage the teeth of the gear 13,thereby greatly increasing the amount of lubricant pumped by the gear and pinion through the chamber -20 and delivery pipe 2-1.

If, however, the amount of the lubricant collected in the chamber -20-- is greater than can be discharged throughthe pipe -24-, the housing 16 will be lifted by the increased pressure thus produced against the action of the spring 26', sufliciently to permit the excess lubricant to escape from the reservoir -23 and the oil chamber 20 without injuring any of the mechafiisrzli or retarding the operation'of the work- Although I have shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is evident that various changes in the construction, both in the form and relation of the parts, thereof, may readily be made and that the mechanism is readily applicable to various classes of devices, without departing from the spirit of this invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pair of gears in mesh ing engagement and one of said gears.

adapted to be partially submerged in a lilbricant, of an' oil housing supported by the periphery of said gears, a chamber in said housing adjacent the teeth of said gears at the 'unction thereof, adapted to receive the oil ischarged b said gears, and a conduit secured to the housing in communication with said chamber for distributing the lubricant.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pair of gears in meshing engagement and one of said gears adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, of an oil housing mounted on the gears, a chamber in said housing adjacent the teeth of said gears at the junction thereof, adapted to receive the oil discharged by said gears, resilient means connected with the housing for yieldingly maintaining sa1d housing. in operative relation with the gears, and a conduit secured to the-housing in communication with said chamber for distributing the lubricant.

3. In a device of the class described, in

combination with a pair of gears in meshing engagement, one of said gears adapted to be artly submerged in a lubricant, of an oil ousing mounted on the periphery of said gears comprising a chamber adjacent the teeth of the gears at the junction thereof adapted to contain the oil discharged by said gears, and an oil reservoir spaced at the rear of said chamber in registration with the teeth of the submerged gear, and a discharge conduit secured to the housing in communication with the chamber for distributing the lubricant.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pair of gears in meshing engagement, one of said gears adapted to be partly submerged in a lubricant, of an oil housing mounted on the periphery of said gears comprising a chamber adjacent the teeth of the gears at the junction thereof adapted to receive the oil discharged by said gears and an oil reservoir spaced ahead of said chamber in registration with the teeth of the submerged gear, resilient means connected with said housing for yieldingly mainta ning the housing in operative relation with said gears, and a discharge conduit secured to the housing in communication with said chamber for discharging the lubricant.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pair of gears in meshing engagement, oneof said gears adapted to be partly submerged .in a lubricant, of an oil housing adapted to have surface contact with the face of the teeth of said gears, resilient means for yieldingly maintaining said housing in contact with said gear teeth, and a chamber in said housing adapted to receive the oil discharged by said gears and a discharge conduit connected with said chamber.

6. In a device of the class described, in

combination" with a pair of gears in meshing I engagement, one of said gears adapted to be partly submerged in a lubricant, of an oil housing having the contour of a portion of its surface conforming to the peri hery of one of said gears and the contour 0 another portion thereof conforming to the periphery of the other gear, resilient means connected with the housing for yieldingly maintaining said portions of the housing in contact with the respective gears, and a chamber in said housing adapted to receive the oil discharged by said gears.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pair of gears in meshing engagement, one of said ears adapted to be partly submerged in a lu ricant, of an oil housing consisting of a chambered head having the contour of a portion of its surface conforming to the periphery of one of said gears and the contour of another portion thereof conforming to the periphery of the other gear and opposed end plates extending inwardly in proximity to the sides of said gears for preventing the escapement of the lubricant at the sides ,of the teeth, resilient means connected with the housing for yieldingly maintaining'said portions of the housing in contact with the respective gears, a chamber in said head open at one side for receiving the lubricant carried by the partially submerged one of said gears, and a discharge pipe in communication with said chamber. 1

8. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pair of gears in meshing engagement, one of said gears adapted to be partly submerged in a lubricant, of an oil housing consisting of a chambered head having the contour of a portion of its surface conforming to the periphery of one of said gears and the contour of another portion thereof conforming to the periphery of the other gear and opposed end plates extending forwardly from the head and downwardly from said head in proximity to the sides of said gears for preventing the escapement of the lubricant at the sides of the teeth, a chamber'in said head open at one side for receiving the lubricant carried by the partially submerged one of said gears and an oil reservoir formed between said side plates, the front portion of the chambered head and adjacent portion of the submerged gear, and a discharge pipe in communication with said chamber.

9. In a lubricating system in combination with a gear adapted to be partly submerged in a In with said gear, of an oil housing mounted on said gear and pinion, having an oil chamber adjacent said gear and pinion at the junction thereof, adapted to receive the oil discharged by said gear and pinion, resilient means connected with said housing for yieldingly maintaining the housing in operative ricant and a drive pinion meshing relation with the gear and pinion, and a conduit connected with the housing, adapted to receive the lubricant from said chamber.

10; In a lubricating system in combination with a workhead for a deep well pump comprising a gear adapted to be partly submerged in oil, a drive pinion meshing with beam pivoted at one' maintaining said housing in operative relation with the gear and pinion, an oil chamber in said housing ad acent the gear and pinion at the junction thereof, adapted to receive the oil discharged by said gear and pinion, and a discharge conduit connecting said chamber with the bearings of the walking beam for lubricating said bearings.

11. In a lubricating system, in combination with a workhead for a deep well pump comprising a gear adapted to be partly submerged in oil, a drive pinion meshing with said gear, a walking beam pivoted at one end and operably connected with said gear for movement thereof and a plunger rod piv-' otally connected with said walking beam, of an oil housing mounted on the face of the teeth of the gear'and pinion to permit the free rotation thereof, resilient means connected with the housing for yieldingly maintaining said housing in operative relation with the gear and pinion, an oil chamber in said housing adapted to receive oil from the gear and pinion at the junction thereof, oil-distributing means for the bearings of said walking beam comprising a perforated pan secured to the upper edge of said walking beam, and a discharge conduit connected with said chamber for depositing oil in said pan.

12. In a lubricating system, in combina-' tion with a workhead for a deep well pump comprising a gear adapted to be partly submerged in oil, a drive pinion meshing with said gear, a walking end and operabl connected with said gear for movement t ereof and a plunger rod pivotally connected with said walking beam, of an oil housing mounted on the face of the teeth of the gear and pinion to permit the free rotation thereof, resilient means connected with the housing for yieldingly maintaining said housing in operative relation with the gear and pinion, an oil chamber in said housing adapted v.to'receive oil from the gear and pinion atthe junction thereof, oil-distributipg means forthe bearings of said walking beam comprising a perforated an secured to the "upper edge of said wa ing beam said perforations bebeam pivoted at one 13. In a lubricating system in combination with a workhead for deep well pumps comprising a gear adapted to be partly submerged in oil, a drive pi'nion meshing with said-gear, a walking beam pivoted at one endand operably connected with said gear for movement thereof and a plunger rodpivotally connected with said walking beam of an oil housing mounted on the face of the teeth of the gear and pinion to permit the free rotation thereof, comprising an oil chamber adapted to receive oil from the teeth of the gear and pinion at the junctionthereof and an oil reservoir spaced ahead of said chamber in registration with the teeth of the gear, resilient means connected with the housing for yieldingly maintaining said housing in operative relation with the gear and pinion, oil-distributng means comprising a perforated pan secured to the upper edge of the walking beam, said perforations being in registration with a portion of the bearing members for said walk of gears in mes ing relation, one of said gears adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, of a chamber adjacent the teeth of one of said ears for receiving and containing the lufiricant displaced from between the teeth of said gears as they rotate, and an additional chamber adjacent the peri hery of the gear adapted to be partially submerged in a wardly of the first-mentionedchamber for receiving lubricant carried by said gear.

15. A pumping device comprising a pair of gears in meshmg relation and one of said gears adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant of a chamber adjacent one of said gears ortreceiving lubricant displaced from between the teeth of said gears as they rotate, and resilient means for holding a wall of said chamber in contact with the teeth of one of said gears.

16. A-pumping device comprising a pair of gears in meshing relation and one of said gears adapted to be partially submerged .in a lubricant, of a chamber adjacent the teeth of one of said gears for receiving lubricant displaced from between the teeth of said ears as they rotate, and resilient means for holding a wall of said chamber in contact with the periphery of one of said gears.

17. A pumping apparatus comprising two ubricant and arranged reartacle toward said gear.

gears in meshing relation, one of which is adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, a lubricant receptacle having an inlet assage adjacent a juncture of said gears, an means resiliently maintaining said receptacle with the inlet passage in position to receive lubricant carried by one of said gears.

18. A pumping apparatus comprising two gears in meshing relation, one of which is adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, a lubricant receptacle having an inlet assage adjacent a juncture of said gears, an meansfor supporting said receptacle including a spring acting to press the recep- '19. A pumping apparatus comprising two gears in meshing relation, one of which is adapted to be artially submerged in a lubricant, a lubrlcant receptacle having portions of its wall shaped to conform to the ri hery of respective gears, and means for resiliently holding said portions in contact with the periphery of said gears.

20. A pumping apparatus comprising two gears in meshing relation, one of which is adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, alubricantreceptacle having portions of its wall shaped to conform to the periphery of respective gears, and flanges on opposite sides of said portions extending along the opposite sides of said means for resiliently holding sai in contact with said gears.

21. A pum ing apparatus comprising two gears in'mes ing relation, one of wh1ch is adapted to-be partially submerged in a lubricant, a lubricant receptacle having an inlet passage adjacent a juncture of said gears, means resiliently maintaining said receptacle with the inlet passage in position to ears, and portions receive lubricant carried by one of said bricant, a lubricant receptacle gears, and spaced flanges extending from the receptacle and disposed closel adjacent the opposite sides of one of sai gears to form a lubricant reservoir.

22. A pum ing apparatus comprising two gears in meshing relation, one of WhlCh is adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, a lubricant receptacle havin an inlet passage adjacent a. juncture of sai gears, means for supporting said reoe taclei'ncluding a spring acting to press t e receptacle toward said gear, and spaced flanges extending from the receptacle and disposed closely a acent the opposite sides of one ofsaid gears to form a lubricant reservoir.

23. A pum ing ap aratus comprising two gears in mes ing re ation, one of which is adapted to be partially subm'er ed in a luaving portions of its wall shaped to conform to the periphery of respective gears, means for resiliently holding said 'ortions in'contact with the periphery of sai gears, and spaced cluding a sprin flanges extending from the receptacle and disposed closely'adjacent the opposite sides of one of said gears to form a lubricant reservoir.

24. A pumping apparatus comprising two gears in meshing relation, one of which is adapted to be partially submerged in a lubri cant, a lubricant receptacle having portions of its wall shaped to conform to the periphery of respective gears, flanges on opposite sides of said portions extending along the opposite sides of said gears, means for resiliently holding said portions in contact with said ears, and spaced flanges extending from t e receptacle and disposed closely ad acent the opposite sides of one of said gears to form a lubricant reservoir.

25. A pumping ap aratus comprising two gears in mes ing re ation, one of which is adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, a lubricant receptacle having an inlet passage adjacent a juncture of said gears, means resiliently maintaining said receptacle with the inlet passage in position to receive lubricant carried by one of said ears, a walking beam actuated from one 0 said gears, a distributing pan mounted on the walking beam, and means for distributing lubricant from the receptacle into the distributing pan.

26. A pumping apparatus comprising two gears in mes ing relation, one of which is adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, a lubricant receptacle having an inlet passage adjacent a juncture of said ears, and means for supporting said-receptac e inacting to ress the receptacle toward sai gear a-wa ing beam actuated from one of said gears a distributin pan mounted on the walking beam, an means for distributing lubricant from the receptacle into the distributing pan.

27 A pum ing ap aratus comprisin two gears in mes ing re ation, one of Wl'llCh is adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, a lubricant receptacle havin portions of its wall shaped to conform to t e periphery of respective gears, means for resiliently holding said portions in contact with the adapted to be partially submerged in a lubricant, a lubricant receptacle having portions of its wall shaped to conform to the periphery of respective-gears, flanges on opposite sides of said port-ions extending along the opposite sides of said gears, means for resiliently holding said portions in contact with said gears, a walking beam actuated from one of said gears a distributing pan mounted on the walking beam, and means for distributing lubricant from the receptacle into the distributing pan.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set. my hand this 22d day of January, 1930.

I WILLIAM D. POMEROY, 

